MUSEUM catechist charged with defiling 10-year-old boy released on bail

A MUSEUM catechist charged with defiling a 10-year-old boy was today released on bail against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €2,500 after Magistrate Audrey Demicoli upheld the defence’s request.

Anthony Callus, 46, of Siggiewi, a school assistant head and a treasurer of the Society of Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM) is pleading not guilty to corrupting, harassing, and violent indecent assault on a 10-year-old boy at Bahar ic-Caghaq on Sunday 24 August.

The defence's plea for bail was turned down by the court during Callus' arraignment after prosecuting inspector Josric Mifsud told the court that bail should not be granted until the main witnesses are heard, and in addition, claimed that the granting of bail would be an “obstacle to the administration of justice.”

However, on Monday, the defence, represented by lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Kathleen Grima, reiterated their plea for bail, and Magistrate Audrey Demicoli has today upheld the defence’s request and released Callus on bail against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €2,500.

Handing down her judgment in her chambers, Magistrate Demicoli also ordered Callus to sign a bail sheet once a week at the Qormi police station, and also ordered him to stay away from places frequented by children attending MUSEUM. This condition was laid down after Callus resigned from his post as treasurer at MUSEUM and also from his post as an assistant head at school of the church’s St Michael’s school in Santa Venera.

M. No curfew has been imposed.

The alleged incident occurred on Sunday 24 August, when the accused was swimming at Bahar ic-Caghaq during a MUSEUM event. At some point in time, Callus “grabbed the 10-year-old boy from his waist and lifted him out of the water.” This, according to the prosecution, then led to the accused “slightly brushing the boy’s genitalia.”

Sources close to the case said that the boy was lifted from a deep part of the sea before he fell back in. The accused then lifted the boy again and the boy perceived this as being tantamount to indecent assault. Moreover, the prosecution told the court that when lifting the boy from the sea, the accused allegedly “used his legs to hold the boy in such a way that the man’s genitals were behind the boy’s buttocks.”

“The accused merely helped the boy come out of the water, and the boy perceived this as abuse and indecent assault. Both the alleged victim and my client agree on the sequence of events but on his part, the boy is saying that his genitalia were brushed by the accused,” Azzopardi said.

On Monday, the 10-year-old boy was summoned to testify against Callus, but a criminal court ordered that this be heard behind closed doors. Journalists were subsequently ordered to leave the court room.

Inspector Josric Mifsud prosecuted, while Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi and Kathleen Grima are defence counsel. Magistrate Audrey Demicoli is presiding.

The case has been adjourned for 8th October.